Post-Licensure BSN Program Track FAQ

This information applies specifically and ONLY to the California RN with an Associate Degree in Nursing and the ADN student currently enrolled at one of the CNECM community college partners and who will graduate and be licensed prior to formal SSU admission.

Please familiarize yourself with all of this information BEFORE contacting the Nursing Department with questions. If, after reviewing the website materials and these FAQs, you have additional question(s), please follow directions at the end of this discussion.

Q1: What is the difference between the “Pre-Licensure” and “Post-Licensure” BSN programs?

A: There is only one BSN degree offered at SSU and all students meet the same degree requirements. How these requirements are met varies depending on whether the student is in the Pre-Licensure or Post-Licensure Program track and what degree requirements have been met prior to beginning the respective track.

The Pre-Licensure BSN Program Track is designed to complete the state requirements for eligibility to be licensed as a Registered Nurse in California and to simultaneously meet the baccalaureate degree requirements for the major in nursing (BSN) at SSU.

The Post-Licensure BSN Program Track (also referred to as “ADN-BSN” and previously known as the “RN-BSN Program”) is designed to build on the foundation of the community college Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) curriculum and California RN licensure with course work needed to meet the baccalaureate degree requirements for the major in nursing (BSN) at SSU.

The TPOST Academic Program Plan is for currently licensed RNs and for ADN students who will be licensed by August 15th of their admission year.

The CPOST AcademicProgram Planprovides an “early start” to the Post-licensure BSN Program Track through the CNECM for the current ADN student at SRJC, NVC, COM, MC, and SCC with full admission to the university in the Fall semester following ADN graduation and RN licensure.

Q2: What is the CNECM?

A: TheCollaborative Nursing Education Continuum Model (CNECM) is an educational partnership between Sonoma State University Department of Nursing and the ADN programs at SSU service area Community Colleges (Santa Rosa Junior College, Napa Valley College, Mendocino College, College of Marin, and Solano Community College). The CNECM educational continuum model provides qualified and admitted ADN students an “early start” to the Post-Licensure BSN Program Track by enrollment in BSN courses at Sonoma State University while obtaining the Associate Degree in Nursing at their home community college. CNECM students become “CPOST” students upon full admission to the university after completion of their ADN and RN Licensure (Nurs 312 and 313 will have been completed in summer sessions).

Q3: What are the requirements for admission to the Post-Licensure BSN program track?

A: The Post-Licensure BSN Program Track is on official CSU Impacted Status. In addition to university admission criteria, there are specific Department of Nursing admission criteria both of which should be reviewed in the web site section on Application and Admission. TPOST applicants must meet BOTH university and nursing department admission criteria to be considered for admission. Admission to the BSN program is contingent upon university admission; however, university admission does not guarantee admission to the BSN program. Conversely, admission to the university is not guaranteed by admission to the Department of Nursing BSN program (any university admission contingency not met will void the BSN admission).

CPOST applicants (students who have been in the CNECM) are required to submit the university application and the Department of Nursing Supplemental Application by the November 30th due date (See “Applications”).

Q4: I took my nursing prerequisites and CSU General Education courses at a community college. How do I know if these meet the SSU nursing prerequisites and the GE requirements?

A: If you attended a California public community college, UC, or another CSU, please use www.assist.org to check your courses against those required at SSU. If the nursing prerequisite course in question is not listed or was taken at a college not in the California public system, email liz.close@sonoma.edu with the complete course description, course syllabus and college information and what SSU nursing prerequisite requirement you are attempting to satisfy with this course. There is no formal mechanism to review General Education courses outside the California public higher education system for equivalency to SSU/CSU during the application process. California Community College Education Counselors are also knowledgeable about the CSU and SSU GE requirements and may assist you in determining if a course you completed meets a SSU/CSU GE requirement.

Q5: Can I have SSU General Education (GE) requirements outstanding when I apply?

A: It depends. All community college transfer students are required to have GE Areas A and B completed (OK to be in progress and but must be completed no later than Spring semester of the admission year). Because the BSN Program is on CSU “Impacted Status,” additional requirements apply. Refer to the information contained on this website for Application and Admission.
Normally it is not recommended to have more than two outstanding GE requirements when beginning the Post-Licensure BSN Program; these two courses can be taken at the Upper Division (SSU 300-400) level at SSU and simultaneously meet the GE Area requirement and the Upper Division GE requirement. You may also have the “Ethnic Studies” requirement outstanding. The Written English Proficiency Exam (WEPT) is to be scheduled for the first semester of the BSN program. Additionally, the SSU American Institutions requirement (American History and US Constitution/CA State and Local Government) can be completed at the community college (lower division level).
To determine what SSU GE requirements you have met and have remaining to complete, please refer to the BSN Degree Requirements 2014-2015, ADN-BSN Degree Summary Guide and, if currently enrolled at a CNECM partner school, the appropriate ADN-BSN Roadmap.

Admission decisions are influenced by the number and type of outstanding lower division GE requirements applicants have remaining to fulfill at the time of application submission.

Q6: Can I take all of the required SSU General Education courses at a community college even if I have accumulated more than the maximum allowable 70 units of transfer credit from the community college?

A: Yes. You may complete outstanding Lower Division GE requirements at a community college. Such units will not count toward the total of 120 for the BSN degree if you have already hit the 70 unit maximum transfer mark but the course(s) will be counted to meet the specific CSU GE Area and American Institutions requirement indicated in the course catalog description. It is usually a good idea to meet as many Lower Division GE requirements as possible at the community college (less expensive and more convenient than SSU and also often available online). You can “hold out” 3-6 units of Area C to complete at the Upper Division (300-400) level at SSU so you can meet both the GE Area C requirement and the UDGE requirement simultaneously.

Q7: How do I know if a community college course meets a CSU General Education or American Institutions requirement?

A: The community college course catalog description will indicate that the course is BOTH transferrable to the CSU AND the specific CSU requirement it satisfies. This notation is usually included at the end of the paragraph course description. If the course description does not indicate that the course meets a CSU requirement, then it does not and you should not expect it to be counted toward meeting any SSU GE requirement even if the course is “transferrable” to the CSU. Check www.assist.org to determine course equivalencies.

Most ADN students and ADN graduates (RNs) do not need to accumulate “elective” transfer units to the CSU since the maximum number of transferrable units counted toward the bachelor’s degree is 70 and there are no California ADN programs that require fewer than this number of units to meet requirements for the ADN.

Q8: How many and what type of General Education units are required in the Post-Licensure BSN Program?

A: It is extremely important to review the Upper Division GE Guidelines for detailed information to assure accurate course selection to meet this requirement. There are 9 units of Upper Division General Education (UDGE) required for the BSN degree. These are approved 300 and 400 level courses at SSU listed on the Sonoma State University 48 Unit Transfer GE Pattern. Three (3) units of this 9 unit UDGE requirement are satisfied upon completion of the BSN. Thus, the BSN student needs to enroll in and complete a minimum 6 units of UDGE to meet BSN degree requirements.

Q9: Can I apply and be admitted to the Post-Licensure BSN program track if I have an ADN and a BA or BS in a field other than nursing?

A: Yes. Although you will see notification on the SSU Admissions website that applications are “Closed to Second Bachelors,” exceptions are allowed by the CSU Chancellor’s Office for all CSU nursing programs statewide. If you are interested in the BSN program refer to the Post-Licensure BSN Program Track web site and follow the directions for Second Baccalaureate applicants.
Second Baccalaureate applicants submit ONLY the Nursing Supplemental Application (you will be blocked from submitting a university application because the university is not currently open to Second Baccalaureate students except for nursing). If admitted by the Nursing Department, you will receive further directions to complete and submit a paper university application. Departmental admission notification will be sent by March 1, 2015.

Q10: What if my overall college GPA is under the required 3.0 for admission to the Nursing Department?

A: Due to the program’s Impaction Status, applicants with less than a 3.0 overall college GPA will not be considered for admission to the Post-Licensure BSN program track. Petitions to be considered with a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 will not be accepted. Prospective students in this situation are encouraged to explore other opportunities for completing the BSN (a useful tool for this search is located at http://www.cinhc.org/resources/search-programs/ ).

Q11: How many and what type of nursing units are required in the Post-Licensure BSN Program Track?

A: There are 24 units of upper division nursing course enrollment required for the Post-Licensure BSN Program Track at SSU (see Required Upper Division Nursing Course Descriptions).
These units are designed to build upon the ADN curriculum and provide the student with comparable knowledge and skills of the student who completes the Pre-Licensure BSN program track. Content includes research and Evidence Based Practice, community and public health nursing theory and clinical, organizational level leadership and management, the influence of the social, political, and economic environment on nursing and health, and opportunity to demonstrate application of this knowledge in a health care delivery setting.

In addition, all BSN students are required to complete 6 units of Upper Division General Education coursework (see the FAQ regarding Upper Division General Education and the (Upper Division GE Guidelines).

All of the above 30 units must be completed in residence at SSU to meet the 30 units in residence requirement for the baccalaureate degree from SSU.

Q12: What credit do I receive for all of the nursing education I have already completed at the community college that will prevent duplication or additional units in nursing at the BSN level?

Upon admission to SSU, proof of current California RN licensure (indicating NCLEX-RN pass), admission to the Post-Licensure BSN Program in the Department of Nursing, and enrollment in the program, the student is eligible for award of upper division nursing units for NLCEX. Based on individual transcript validation, SSU may award up to 20 units of nursing course credit pursuant to the CSU Chancellor’s Office Executive Order 1084.

Q13: How long is the program?

A: The Post-Licensure BSN Program Track is 24 units of Upper Division Nursing and 6 units of Upper Division GE for a total of 30 semester units. These requirements can be met in one academic year of full time enrollment if all other BSN degree requirements have been met upon admission.

Q14: If I have a Bachelor’s degree already, will I be able to get through the program faster?

A: No. You will need to complete the 24 units of Upper Division Nursing coursework required for the Post-Licensure BSN degree. The TPOST Program Track Full-Time Plan the student enrolls in 11 units of required nursing coursework in the Fall (Nurs 310, 312, and 313) and 13 units (Nurs 410, 412 and 416) in the Spring. The CPOST Program track full-time plant the student enrolls in 8 units of required nursing coursework in the Fall (Nurse 310 & Nurse 412) and 8 units (Nurse 410 & Nurse 416) in hte Spring.

Q15: When do I need to apply?

A: To be admitted to the BSN Program for Fall 2015 semester, apply to Sonoma State University and to the SSU Nursing Department by November 30, 2014. Both of these applications MUST be submitted to be considered for admission.

Q16: How do I apply?

A: Transfer students (as an ADN student or graduate you are classified as a “transfer student”) must apply to BOTH the university (http://www.csumentor.edu)AND to the Department of Nursing. Please carefully follow the application directions on this web site; failure to complete any part of the process can result in admission denial.

Q17: What if I miss the university application deadline?

A: The Department of Nursing is unable to consider applicants who have not submitted the university application by the due date (November 30, 2014). Contingent admission to the BSN program is dependent on full university admission. If you miss any deadlines or fail to supply the required admission documents in a timely fashion, or fail to submit required fees you may be denied admission for Fall 2015 even if the Department of Nursing has approved your contingent admission to the BSN program.

If you miss the deadlines for Fall 2015 and you have requirements for the BSN outstanding (such as Area C Arts & Humanities, and Area D American (U.S.) History and/or U.S. Constitution/California State and Local Government), you may enroll in and complete those GE requirements at your local, or an online, community college. Please check www.assist.orgto confirm that any course you select at the community college is specifically approved to meet the CSU GE requirement you are trying to meet.

Q18: What if I miss the Department of Nursing application deadline?

A: The Department of Nursing is unable to consider applicants who have not submitted their Nursing Department Application by the due date (November 30, 2014). Contingent admission to the university is dependent on Department of Nursing admission to the BSN program. If you miss any deadlines, fail to supply the required admission documents in a timely fashion, or fail to submit required fees you may be denied admission for Fall 2015 even if the university has approved your contingent admission to the BSN program.

If you miss the Nursing Department Application deadline for Fall 2015 and you have requirements for the BSN outstanding (such as Area C Arts & Humanities, and Area D American (U.S.) History and/or U.S. Constitution/California State and Local Government), you may enroll in and complete those GE requirements at your local, or an online, community college. Please check www.assist.orgto confirm that any course you select at the community college is specifically approved to meet the CSU GE requirement you are trying to meet.

Q19: How are admissions decided?

A: Admission to the Post-Licensure BSN Program Track is based on meeting all university and Department of Nursing criteria. Admission to the program is currently limited and all qualified applicants may not be admitted for Fall 2015. Please see the Application and Admission information for further details. It is generally wise to have also applied to other Post-Licensure BSN Programs.

Q20: When are applications available?

A: TPOST applicants: University Applications for Fall 2015 admission will be available online through the end of November 2014 at www.csumentor.edu. You must mark the application major category "Nursing with RN” (code 12032) even if you are still enrolled in your ADN program because you are applying to the Post-Licensure BSN program and will be licensed by the start of Fall 2015 semester. Department of Nursing applications are available to download from the Nursing website from October 1, 2014 through November 30, 2014. The Fall 2015 Nursing Supplemental Application to Post-Licensure BSN Program is due by November 30, 2014. Only complete Applications postmarked by the deadline date will be considered.

CPOST applicants (CNECM students who completed Nurs 312 in Summer 2014), University Applications for Fall 2014 admission will be available online through the end of November 2014 at www.csumentor.edu. You must mark the application major category "Nursing with RN” (code 12032) even though you are still enrolled in your ADN program (because you are applying to the Post-Licensure BSN program and will be licensed by the start of Fall 2015 semester). You also must submit the Fall 2015 Nursing Supplemental Application to Post-Licensure BSN Program available October 1, 2014 and due by November 30, 2014; application fee is waived (previously paid for the CNECM application).

CNECM applicants (ADN first semester Fall 2014 at CNECM Partner community college), please see the CNECM information page and review all Post-Licensure BSN information on this website. CNECM applications for Summer 2015 are available from January 15 - March 15, 2015.

Q21: Can I meet with an instructor/advisor to go over the courses I need to get admitted and/or need to complete for SSU GE Requirements?

A: The SSU Post-Licensure BSN Academic Advisors are only able to meet with prospective students during group Information and Academic Advising Sessions but will endeavor to answer all questions at that time. The Information & Academic Advising Session for Fall 2015 Admission to the SSU Post-Licensure BSN Program Track is Wednesday, October 1st from 6:00 – 7:30 PM in Darwin 102 on the SSU campus (see the link for further important information).

Q22: Are there other options for completing a Post-Licensure BSN program that I should consider?

A: In addition to SSU, we recommend that you explore other options for completing your BSN. Please refer to the CINHC webpage containing Post-Licensure BSN programs available in California. A list of online RN-BSN programs nationwide is provided by the website BestNursing Degree.com (disclaimer: use only to locate programs; the web site and the listed programs have not been reviewed by SSU Nursing faculty for accuracy of “best” programs claims). Due to the large number of nurses seeking to complete the BSN you are encouraged to submit applications to several programs to increase your opportunity for admission and completion of your BSN in a timely fashion. The SSU nursing faculty is committed to admitting as many qualified students as possible but recognizes we may not have space for all qualified applicants in our service area.

More Questions?

If, after reviewing all of the Post-Licensure BSN Program Track information on the website, you have further questions or need clarification, please email to liz.close@sonoma.edu with the subject line “Post-Licensure BSN Question.” Please be concise and refer to specific information you are attempting to clarify (such as in what document or link you found the information). You will be emailed an answer and the information, if appropriate, will be added to the website.